Legion of the Dawn
Jack Lionheart Urdimli Hammerkeg |races = |image= }} Legion of the Dawn, formerly known as Order of the Dawn, is a prestigious and elite holy military force dedicated to the preservation and defense of Azeroth against evil, and the eternal fight against the Darkness. With a long history of campaigning behind it, the Dawn’s organized army waits with baited breath for whatever challenges come in the near future. History Origins The Legion of the Dawn is a holy military, founded during the peak of the Tanaan Jungle excursions in Draenor. Originally dubbed the Order of the Dawn, it was first set into motion after the Fall of Lordearon by a cabal of disenfranchised Nobles and High Ranking members of the Silver Hand. It was conceptualized as the natural evolution of what Paladins were meant to be- safeguards for humanity. Beren Ansebar, Jack Lionheart, and Urdimli Hammerkeg, the leaders of the Order, believed that it was the lack of military prowess that led to the plague overcoming Lordearon- and that they would form an army that would make holy men into avatars of War and Justice. Ansebar would lead the soldiers, Lionheart would teach them of the virtues of the Light, and Hammerkeg would construct the Citadel where they would base, and the machines of war in which they would drive back the darkness. Before long, problems set in. Ansebar fell in combat, and Hammerkeg found his Allegiance swayed to a more powerful order. Lionheart became a recluse, and the Citadel became an independent nation, without guidance or leadership, and the Order of the Dawn fell apart. Reformation The Order found new strength, years later, with a new military heart being brought into the order. Raseri, Lord Protector of the fractured Templars of Lothar, and one time Marshal of the Alliance, was told of the existence of the Citadel and it’s treasures- the island fortress was rich in Lightforged Iron, which the Order believed to be a sign of Divine providence. He took his Templars and swore an oath with Hammerkeg, now brought back into the fold, to the isle, and the two immediately began working to create the army the world needed. After a period spent marshalling forces from the Human Kingdoms, training them with spear, shields, and gunnery, and electing generals to lead them, the Order was rechristened as the Legion of the Dawn, and was sent to Draenor, in Tanaan Jungle, to test it’s mettle. The fighting proved extensive, and disaster struck as Urdimli was slain in battle, yet the Dawn prevailed. Veterans of the war would recall their shining Black Banners, the Golden Wings blazing in the sunlight as these champions of the Light slew all wicked in their paths. The Dawn returned victorious, and after Urdimli was buried, Jack Lionheart was brought out of hiding to lead. The Legion stagnated with little in the way of war to distract itself, turning into little more than an irregular police force around the city. Staggered battles happened here and there, but it became apparent that the Dawn had little in the way of strong leadership. After a time, Lionheart realized he was unsuited for the task ahead, and appointed Lys Raseri, then the acting Dawnlord, as Lord-Commander of the Dawn. The Lord Commander began significant reforms, requiring much further in the way of devotion and loyalty to the cause, increasing drilling standards tenfold, and readying his army for any war that may come. Eventually, war did come, as the Lord-Commander took his forces to Stromguarde and Crusaded against the Forsaken. At this time, Raseri gained a reputation for savagery, zealotry, and brutal, ingenious tactics, relentlessly assaulting horde outposts and setting all of Hillsbrad foothills to flame. The war raged on for months, ending in retreat and Alliance withdrawal. Further reforms were instituted- the Lord-Commander recruited ten-fold, appointed two new generals to lead his forces, and drilled his soldiers to the point where many collapsed in the dirt and mud. The Legion of the Dawn had become the Elites of the Alliance, had finally become the Avatars of Righteousness that were envisioned so long ago, and before the war began anew the Lord-Commander renamed himself Highlord, and secured absolute control over his forces. When the Dawn was finally unleashed upon the Northlands, total Alliance victory was secured- though not for long. Demonic Incursions began, pushing the Dawn out of the territories it had so hardly earned. The Dawn participated with a bulk of the Alliance military in the assault on the Broken Shore, but was shattered. Recruitment was doubled, but not nearly for long enough, as the Dawn had to deploy in a brutal march from the coast of Stormheim to Suramar, a military campaign that took over 6 months to conclude, and resulted in near total annihilation of the righteous. Upon the Highlord’s return to Stormwind, he swore Allegiance to the Grand Alliance, and his Dawn was brought in as the 34th Legion of Stormwind. Now the Highlord seeks recruits, generals, siege smiths, and righteous men as he rebuilds, for their is still much evil in the world to purge. Structure The Legion of the Dawn is organized under the Command of it’s Highlord as the central authority. All decisions are ultimately made or approved by the Highlord, though the advice, input, and counsel of his friends and generals are valued. The Highlord controls the armies and the fleets, ruling from his island fortress of Dawncall. Beneath the Highlord are his Commanders, his Highguard. The Marshals of the Dawn are Paragons of everything the Order values, embodying furious retribution or holy salvation alike. There have been 7 Highguard in the Dawn’s history, and all of them have their legacies and contributions to the order enshrined in Dawncall’s Hall of the Highguard, for Legionnaires to read for all time. The Highguard command the Knights of the Dawn, the Elite among the Soldiers of the Legion. Trained extensively in mounted Combat, the Knights frequently lead battalions of lower ranked Legionnaires into battle. The Highest from the rank and file are the Sergeants and Sergeant Majors of the Dawn, Drillmasters, Organizers, and unit commanders. Frequently sporting glorious facial hair, barking orders, and instilling discipline, every regiment needs a decent sergeant. The lower ranks are the Legionnaires- officially trained and ordained as the Elite Soldiers of the Alliance. Privates- those whose training has begun, but lack the skills required to become ordained, and the Auxilia, those who lack the mettle or the valour to become Legionnares, but still contribute on the Campaign in some way- Cooks, Bards, Smiths, and more. Out of Character Greetings! At long last the Legion of the Dawn has a forum post up. We’re a guild with a fairly simple premise- The Elites of Humanity. The Righteous, the Just, the Soldiers that embody all that is good and true in the world. We’re a large (100+) member guild, focused primarily around in-depth and storyline based RP events and interactions, along with some RP-PvP coordinated between the LotD, several other Alliance guilds, and Hordeside RP guilds. The Dawn has accomplished much and is involved in many server-wide story arcs, as well as being a member of the Alliance Defense Council. Although many members of the Dawn are Paladins or priests, and the order is indeed Light-based, we accept most classes and races into our ranks, with the exception of most warlocks. Types of RP to be found while in the Dawn include coordinated storylines, guild events, group events/stories with other guilds/Horde RPers, and casual RP around Stormwind and Dawncall (OOC Proxy is the GM's Garrison). Other activities include raiding and PvP with guildmates, and our community is friendly and always happy to help. I’ll be posting more on this forum as events and campaigns come to fruition more and more! See you on the Field, Soldiers! Notes and references Category:Alliance Guild Category:Guilds